Memorable TV

Lion Country: Night and Day Premieres on ITV 5 Feb

Lion Country: Night and Day Premieres on ITV 5 Feb

Published

2 years ago

on

January 31, 2017

Lion Country: Night and Day, premiering on ITV on Sunday 5 February at 8.00pm, is a groundbreaking three-part documentary narrated by David Morrissey, providing an incredible insight into the lives of two lion families in the Zambian bush.

Lions are the world’s most social cats, and the prides’ dramas rival anything seen in a TV soap opera. Bad dads, brave mums and vulnerable cubs are followed in intimate detail in one of Africa’s last great wildernesses.

Following all the drama is a specialist camera team, camped deep in lion territory. The team’s base in South Luangwa National Park in Zambia is one of the world’s last remaining refuges for lions.

Over the last 20 years, the world’s lion population has decreased by 40 percent and the cubs in Zambia represent one of the last hopes for this endangered species.

In the first episode, young cub Pip (pictured above)’s adventurous nature soon gets him into trouble as he wanders away from the pride. A lost, lonely young lion is easy prey for prowling leopards and hyenas. Meanwhile, Pip’s cousins Ziggy and Prince have troubles of their own. They have survived an attack from a rival male lion, but now their mum Rosa is trying to re-join her pride. Ziggy and Prince’s new step-dads are far from happy. The camera team soon realise that they are a little too close to the action when lions wander into their camp, forcing them to retreat to their tents.

Lion Country: Night and Day airs on Sunday 5 February 2017 at 8.00pm on ITV.